


C is for Cuddles

by Kateera



Series: A-Z Garcy Challenge [3]
Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hugging, Reading, garcy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 09:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15969515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: Lucy is feeling the stress of living in the bunker and she needs somewhere to focus her energy.





	C is for Cuddles

**Author's Note:**

> I've had panic attacks that sneak up on me, disguised as anger or sadness. It sucks. Lucy, fortunately, has someone to take care of her!
> 
> Check me out on [tumblr](http://kateera.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/kateera_)

Her skin felt stretched tight over her bones, like a sheet too small for the bed. Jiya and Rufus were curled up together on the couch, watching an old sci-fi movie, Connor had long since disappeared into his room, and Wyatt was at the kitchen table, cleaning and organizing his guns. There was a sense of calm in the room that irritated Lucy, made her feel out of place inside the comfortable bubble of their daily life.

She stood and walked around the room, counting her steps and taking deep breaths to keep from screaming. It seemed as if the sound of her heartbeat was louder than the movie playing on the television. The need to keep walking led her to the hallway and up to the closed door of Garcia’s room.

She knocked, hoping he might be in the mood to argue with her, give her something to focus on besides the cloying calm.

“Come in,” his voice drawled from behind the door.

She pushed the door open. Garcia lay sprawled across his bed, a book in one hand and the other propping up his head.

“What’s up?” he asked, a wrinkle forming on his brow as he looked at her.

Lucy sighed and closed the door behind her. “It’s too, I don’t know, quiet out there.”

Garcia set his book down and sat up. “Did you need to talk about something?”

Lucy shrugged. “What are you reading?”

“Some science fiction novel that Jiya brought,” Garcia said, looking at the title. “Called The Left Hand of Darkness.”

“Ah, never read it.” Lucy wandered around his room, adjusting various items on the shelves and tugging at her shirt.

“Lucy, are you alright?”

His concerned voice struck at her taut nerves.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” She turned and looked at him. “Do I always have to be a blithering mess before I can come to talk to you? Is that it? Do I need to be in the middle of a breakdown so you can justify spending time with me?”

Garcia stood up and walked towards her. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then enlighten me with that oh so wonderful Flynn wisdom of yours.” She could hear the shrill panic in her voice and she clenched her fists to keep her hands from shaking.

“I don’t want to fight,” Garcia said, holding up his hands. “But I get the feeling that maybe you do.”

“Oh, good job, gold star,” Lucy snarled, picking up a metal canister from the shelf and rolling it in her hands.

She drew back her arm and threw it as hard as she could against the wall. There was a loud clang as it hit the metal and clattered to the floor. Garcia didn’t say anything, just stood and looked at her with a carefully neutral expression.

She let out a sob and threw herself at Garcia, holding on tight as she felt him wrap her up in his arms. The contact was like a dam breaking and she released the hold on her emotions, letting them drain through her as she cried.

“Shh, I got you,” Garcia whispered, picking her up and carrying her to the bed.

He sat down and held her tight, her face pressing into his chest while her body shook with the force of her tears.

Lucy cried until her body stopped trembling and the fabric under her cheek was soaking wet. Garcia didn’t let go, only hugged her tighter to him and placed a large hand on her head, stroking her hair.

Coughing and sniffling, she pulled back and looked up at him. She was sure she looked wrecked. She could never pull off the pretty crying look and she hid her puffy red eyes and pale cheeks behind a curtain of hair.

“Feel better?” He asked, still running his hand over her head and keeping a loose arm around her waist.

She nodded, embarrassment flooding over her as she stared at the wet spot on his shirt. “Sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize.” He shifted on the bed. “I’m sorry if I didn’t notice you were having a panic attack.”

“I didn’t even know I was,” Lucy said, sniffing again and wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. “I hate them.”

He hummed and rested his back against the wall. “Well, I don’t want you to think that you can’t come to me if you need anything.”

“I know, I do know,” Lucy said, snuggling closer to him and resting her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “It’s too much sometimes. It’s the daily gun cleaning and the close quarters and seeing the others so accepting of our situation. We’re trapped down here whenever we aren’t running through time in constant danger, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” He gave her forehead a soft kiss.

The act made her want to start crying again, his steady support like a balm to her weary soul.

Lucy looked up at him. “Can I ask a favor?”

He nodded. “Anything.”

She picked up the book he’d been reading and handed it to him. “Will you read to me?”

His smile could have lit up half of California. “Sure.”

He took the book and Lucy cuddled close, feeling a sense of warm safety wrap around her as Garcia pulled the blanket up over his lap and around her shoulders.

The bunker felt stifling at times. Too many people in the small space and not enough distractions to go around, but within the confines of Garcia’s room, she didn’t feel trapped. As they cuddled on the bed and he opened the book to the first page, Lucy closed her eyes and let Garcia’s soothing voice take her to a planet far away from the looming danger of Rittenhouse and the cramped quarters of the metal bunker.

 

 


End file.
